In yet another medical milestone, the Moi Teaching and Referral hospital in Eldoret has carried a rare surgery in East African after the hospital successfully re-implanted the hand of a patient who had been traumatically amputated last week.
The patient, identified as BK, is a 35-year-old male who had been amputated through the wrist (carpus), otherwise known medically as Left Hand Traumatic Amputation.
The patient, a casual worker, sustained the injury last week on Tuesday, August 8, at about midday following a domestic assault and was referred to MTRH from Sigowet Subcounty Hospital, Kericho county.
MTRH was immediately alerted of the transfer and BK arrived the emergency department on the same day at a 4pm with the amputated limb preserved in a cool box.
MTRH CEO Dr Wilson Aruasa says the patient was taken to the theatre within 15 minutes of arrival.
In theatre there were already two teams of medics who alternately repaired and re-attached the limb on the patient.
The CEO said the re-implantation was successfully completed at 3am. which made up a whopping 11 hours marathon surgery.
“It was a complex and lengthy surgery that was done by our experts who gave it all to attain success,” Dr Aruasa.
The patient was reversed successfully from surgery and was admitted to Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit overnight after which he was taken to the Intensive Care Unit for monitoring and IV Heparin infusion.
The medics completed the IV infusion 48 hours later on Thursday, August 10, and rehabilitation of the limb was initiated.
“The patient is doing well post-operatively and on Sunday August 13th 2023 he has been moved from ICU to General Orthopedics (Male) ward, where he will continue with daily reviews and initiation of occupational therapy rehabilitation,” Dr Aruasa said.
He said the affected hand was vitally and successfully re-established with good doppler ultrasound findings.
“We thank God for enabling us to achieve yet another medical milestone as we strive to serve Kenyans with quality medical care at MTRH," the CEO said.
He thanked the medical team which participated in the operation, including the surgical team.
Dr Aruasa said the successful highly specialised surgery was part of the fruits of MTRH board and management, which is fully supported by government through ministries of Health, National Treasury and Economic Planning on the long-range goal of developing multi-and sub-specialty surgical & medical skills.
There's also the aspect of continual staff capacity development, huge investments in medical infrastructure and specialised equipment with a high work performance culture.
He said the patient has not enrolled into National Health Insurance Fund but MTRH will facilitate his enrolment accordingly.
“This is true Universal Health Coverage on every citizen’s access to healthcare and Universal Health Care in terms of simultaneously accessing the highest level and quality specialised healthcare.
“It also underscores successful Strategic partnership with Indiana University (and other collaborating Institutions), USA over the years,” said Dr Aruasa.
He said the hospital remained fully committed to supporting President William Ruto’s plan o achieve UHC and help help Kenyans access such medical care that would otherwise have been done expensively outside the country.